Grip free hand weight

ABSTRACT

An exercise device, comprising a substantially-spherical, relatively thin-walled housing having an opening formed therein whereby the hand of the user may be inserted through the opening into the housing, wherein said housing includes a cavity portion capable of receiving and retaining a removable weight.

PRIORITY

The applications claims priority from Provisional Application No. 61/997,309 filed on May 29, 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention of the present application improves a previously existing grip free hand weight. Specifically, the grip free hand weight of the present invention improves the existing grip free hand weight by providing a method of changing the core weight of the device at the user's convenience.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,669, there exists in the prior art a grip-free hand weight to exercise a user's arms, hands and wrists. The grip free hand weight of the prior art is a fixed weight device, and does not allow the user to change the weight of the device at will.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device, having a substantially-spherical, relatively thin-walled housing with an opening formed therein whereby the hand of the user may be inserted through the opening into the housing, wherein said housing includes a cavity portion capable of receiving and retaining a removable weight.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an exercise device wherein the removable weight is screwed into the housing.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an exercise device wherein the removable weight is contained within a canister

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device, comprising a substantially-spherical, relatively thin-walled housing having an opening formed therein whereby the hand of the user may be inserted through the opening into the housing, wherein said housing includes contains two cavity portions that are diametrically opposed in relation to one another.

In another embodiment, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device, comprising a substantially-spherical, relatively thin-walled housing having a diametral axis, wherein the housing has a pair of complementary semi-spherical housing portions, the housing portions capable of being connected and disconnected to each other, means for retaining a removable weight, the means being molded within the housing, wherein the removable weight is disposed within the housing substantially coincident with the diametral axis thereof, means for joining the semi-spherical hemispherical portions and retaining the weight, the housing having an opening formed therein where by the hand of the user may be inserted through the opening in the housing.

This and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the exercise device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view with the weighted canister removed of a preferred embodiment of the exercise device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second preferred weight used in an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of an alternate embodiment of the exercise device of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross section view of an alternate embodiment of the exercise device of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated the exercise device 10 of the present invention. The exercise device 10 includes a substantially-spherical relatively thin-walled housing 15 which includes a removable weight 20 contained within a cavity portion 25 formed therein. The housing 15 further has an opening 30 formed therein substantially tangentially of the housing 15, whereby the hand of the user may be inserted into the housing 15 for use of the exercise device 10.

The substantially-spherical relatively thin-walled housing 15 may be a single molded unit or be comprised of multiple pieces which are joined together by means known in the art. The weight 20 has an end cap 35 which has a gripping means 40 enabling the user to grasp an end of the weight 20 for changing the weight of the exercise device 10. The end cap end or the opposite end of the weight 20 include means for securing the weight 20 into the housing 15. In the preferred embodiment, these means are a threaded end which screws into the interior of the housing 15, but the securing of the weight 20 into the housing 15 may be accomplished by any means known in the art.

In an alternate embodiment of the preferred embodiment, as seen in FIG. 3, the exercise device 10′, the substantially spherical housing 15′ has two diametrically opposed cavity portions 25A and 25B therein, each cavity portion 25A,25B, capable of receiving a weighted canister.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is illustrated another alternate embodiment of the exercise device 10″ of the present invention. The exercise device includes a substantially-spherical relatively thin-walled housing 15″ having a diametral axis designated at A. The housing 15″ includes a pair of housing portions 15″A and 15B″ joining at a common midplane B. Each of the housing portions 15A″ and 15B″ is preferably substantially hemispherical and identical to one another; moreover, the housing halves 15A″ and 15B″ are molded from a suitable plastic material, such as a polycarbonate having relatively high impact strength. However, it will be expressly understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not so limited.

The housing 15″ includes a suitable keying means between the pair of hemispherical portions 15A″ and 15B″, whereby the hemispherical portions are retained together and form the substantially spherical housing 15″. However, the keying means must be able to be disconnected with relative ease by the user to allow interchangeability of the weight 20″ contained in the housing 15″. Each of the thin-walled housing portions 15A″ and 15B″ has a concave inner walled portion forming a circular recess for containing the weight 20″.

With further reference to FIG. 5, the weight means comprises a small threaded brass insert 50 which is molded into one of the hemispheres of the exercise device 10″. Subsequently, a single screw 60 is used to hold the weight 20″, which may be a hollow steel core in place within the exercise device 10″, and at the same time to tie the two hemispheres together. If a user desires to change the weight 20″, he simply has to unscrew the single screw 60, pull apart the two hemispherical portions 15A″ and 15B″ to access the weight, which is then pulled out of the exercise device and replaced with another weight 20″ of the user's choice. The single screw is then used to join the two hemispherical portions 15A″ and 15B″ again. Obviously, many modifications may be made without departing from the basic spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described therein. 

I claim:
 1. An exercise device, comprising a substantially-spherical, relatively thin-walled housing having an opening formed therein whereby the hand of the user may be inserted through the opening into the housing, wherein said housing includes a cavity portion capable of receiving and retaining a removable weight.
 2. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the removable weight is screwed into the housing.
 3. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the removable weight is contained within a canister.
 4. An exercise device, comprising a substantially-spherical, relatively thin-walled housing having an opening formed therein whereby the hand of the user may be inserted through the opening into the housing, wherein said housing includes at least one cavity portion capable of receiving and retaining a removable weight.
 5. The exercise device of claim 4, wherein the housing includes two cavity portions.
 6. The exercise device of claim 4, wherein the two cavity portions are diametrically opposed in relation to one another.
 7. The exercise device of claim 4, wherein the removable weights are screwed into the housing.
 8. The exercise device of claim 4, wherein the removable weights are contained within a canister.
 9. An exercise device, comprising a substantially-spherical, relatively thin-walled housing having a diametral axis, wherein the housing comprises a pair of complementary semi-spherical housing portions, the housing portions capable of being connected and disconnected to each other, means for retaining a removable weight, said means being molded within the housing, wherein the removable weight is disposed within the housing substantially coincident with the diametral axis thereof, means for joining the semi-spherical hemispherical portions and retaining the weight, the housing having an opening formed therein where by the hand of the user may be inserted through the opening in the housing.
 10. The exercise device of claim 9, wherein the means for retaining a removable weight within the housing is comprised of an insert molded into one of the complementary semi-spherical housing portions.
 11. The exercise device of claim 9, wherein the means for joining the semi-spherical hemispherical portions and retaining the weight is a screw. 